HB 5696 Summary

• Establishes that if a petition contains the same elector's signature 2 or more times, only the first signature shall be counted for initiative petitions, nominating petitions, qualifying petitions for candidates without party affiliation, petitions to form new political parties, and recall petitions.

• Removes language from petition warnings that prohibited knowingly signing petitions more than once, since duplicate signatures are now automatically handled by counting only the first signature.

• Applies the duplicate signature rule to nominating petitions (new section 547) and repeals section 547a of the Michigan election law.

• Revises recall petition circulator certificate requirements to clarify language regarding gender-neutral pronouns and streamline the statements required regarding signature authenticity and elector qualifications.

• Takes effect 90 days after enactment.